Xingyun-1 Building by Nikken Sekkei

Designed by Nikken Sekkei, the Xingyun-1 Building rises at the southwest gateway of Shanghai West Bund Media Port, a district defined by advanced media, cultural, and digital industries along the west bank of the Huangpu River. As a supertall headquarters for future-oriented ICT companies and the gaming industry, the project goes beyond conventional office architecture. It establishes a new urban model where work, public life, technology, and culture converge—positioning the building as both a city landmark and a catalyst for creative interaction.

The name “Xingyun,” meaning “nebula,” reflects the project’s conceptual ambition: a tangible architectural form inspired by online clouds and virtual communities, translated into a physical space that connects people, ideas, and the city itself.

An Architectural Presence Shaping Shanghai’s Skyline

From afar, Xingyun-1 asserts a soft yet powerful skyline presence, deliberately contrasting with the rigid silhouettes of neighboring towers. Its form was carefully designed to be perceived differently from near, medium, and far distances. While distant views emphasize its role as a new urban marker for the West Bund, closer perspectives highlight the building’s dynamic geometry and carefully articulated details.

The exterior is wrapped in vertical fins that create a fluid, cloud-like expression. These fins act as both architectural identity and environmental device, shifting in appearance with changing sunlight throughout the day. Arranged along a 130-meter-radius arc, the louvers are meticulously detailed, with fine ribs carved into each 400-mm-wide element to capture reflected light with subtlety. The result is a façade that feels alive—constantly transforming without relying on digital screens or spectacle.

The Fifth Façade and the Vertical City

Responding to the increasing prominence of aerial perspectives in contemporary cities, the top of the Xingyun-1 Building is designed as a “fifth façade.” Rather than treating the roof as a purely technical zone, it integrates multiple layers of use: a rooftop garden, observation deck, helipad at 160 meters above ground, maintenance facilities, and mechanical systems. Together, these elements form a softened skyline that enhances the building’s relationship with the city and the sky.

Two external rooftop terraces further blur the boundary between interior and exterior at high altitude, allowing occupants direct access to the outdoors. The building also connects to air routes via its helipad, reinforcing its status as a multi-layered node within Shanghai’s urban network.

A Welcoming Base and Human-Scaled Entry

At street level, the supertall avoids the intimidation often associated with high-rise developments. The entrance façade is elevated by two stories, creating a clear visual cue for arrival and orientation. A generous 1.5-meter-wide overlapping wing design responds to a nine-meter height difference, producing a welcoming gesture that embodies the project’s emphasis on “people friendliness.”

The base of the building is intentionally porous, allowing pedestrians to enter freely and move intuitively without confusion. This transparency reinforces the idea that the tower belongs not only to its tenants but also to the city.

Public Space as an Urban Connector

One of Xingyun-1’s most defining qualities is its commitment to urban openness. Rather than enclosing public areas, the project actively links them to neighboring plots and buildings, strengthening the cultural and creative ecosystem of the West Bund. With 76,000 square meters of floor area, the building integrates public walkways, decks, and plazas that function as shared civic infrastructure.

A multi-level public deck connects the tower with its podium, offering a gathering space for visitors while visually and physically linking different parts of the site. At the heart of this system is the Urban Core, a three-dimensional circulation network connecting underground, ground, and second-floor levels. This spatial framework allows access from multiple directions and enables effortless movement across varying elevations.

The second-floor pedestrian deck extends beyond the site boundaries, merging with landscape elements and neighboring developments, reinforcing the idea of a continuous public realm rather than a standalone property.

Vertical Communities and Sky Lobbies

Inside the tower, the vertical organization is defined by seven stacked sky lobbies, each spanning three stories and distributed across 21 floors. These sky lobbies function as arrival halls, collaboration zones, and informal gathering spaces, each framed by large windows that visually reconnect occupants with the city.

As tenants move in, each sky lobby is planned to receive its own unique interior identity, incorporating advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR). This layering of physical and digital experience reinforces Xingyun-1’s role as a bridge between virtual culture and real-world interaction—particularly resonant for its gaming and ICT-oriented users.

Architecture as a Bridge Between Virtual and Real Worlds

Beyond its administrative functions, Xingyun-1 incorporates showrooms and event halls for product launches, exhibitions, and brand experiences. These spaces embody the worldviews of digitally connected communities, allowing creators and fans—who often interact solely online—to meet face-to-face. In this sense, the building acts as a physical platform for digital culture, enabling human connection within an increasingly virtual society.

The architecture supports an ecosystem where work, creativity, fandom, and public life intersect, redefining what a corporate headquarters can be in the 21st century.

Sustainable Design for a Warm Urban Climate

Environmental strategy plays a central role in the project. Unlike conventional sealed skyscrapers reliant on continuous air-conditioning, Xingyun-1 incorporates numerous non-air-conditioned indoor and outdoor areas, taking advantage of Shanghai’s temperate climate.

The façade fins were carefully optimized: instead of deeper 600-mm fins, the standard 400-mm fins were extended outward by 200 mm, achieving equivalent solar shading with reduced aluminum usage. Paired with Low-E glass, this approach minimizes solar heat gain and energy loss, significantly reducing cooling demands.

Natural ventilation hoppers are integrated near windows, enabling occupants to open façades manually and harness prevailing winds. Pressure differences within the atriums further support passive ventilation without mechanical assistance, reducing energy consumption while enhancing indoor comfort.

Altruistic Architecture and Urban Responsibility

Xingyun-1 embodies what Nikken Sekkei describes as “positive design”—architecture that actively contributes to urban life beyond its site boundaries. Its soft forms, generous public spaces, and intuitive circulation alter how people experience the city, encouraging relaxation, interaction, and exploration.

While serving as the headquarters of a leading company, the building adopts an altruistic stance toward the city, positioning itself as a partner in urban revitalization rather than a competitor. By prioritizing openness, connectivity, and cultural exchange, Xingyun-1 sets a precedent for future high-rise developments within dense creative districts.

A New Vision for Urban Living in Shanghai

The Xingyun-1 Building is more than a supertall tower—it is a new architectural prototype for cities shaped by digital culture. By merging skyline identity, environmental intelligence, public generosity, and technological adaptability, Nikken Sekkei delivers a building that connects cloud-based communities with physical urban space. As part of the West Bund Media Port, Xingyun-1 stands as a symbol of how architecture can foster creativity, human connection, and sustainable urban growth in the age of virtual worlds.

Photography: yangmin/ mintwow